A true luxury team, made up of celebrities and celebrities of various nationalities, have moved or bought a house in Portugal and use the media, social networks and word of mouth to praise our country. This trend has attracted more and more foreigners, who visit and buy a house to live or spend their holidays in places like Lisbon, Porto, Comporta, Algarve, among others. Come find out who these celebrities are, where they live and why they chose Portugal as their place to live.

In recent years, Portugal has stood out as a destination of choice for many international celebrities. Its mild climate, quality of life, gastronomy and rich and diverse culture have attracted more and more famous foreigners who decide to settle in the country.

It seems like a small thing, but Portugal could hardly aspire to a more effective marketing strategy, in favor of promoting the country: it's easy, cheap, and gives millions! Invoking the Portuguese Carmen Miranda: " What does the Bahian woman have?... She's funny like no one else! ". These days, it seems that Portugal has fallen into the graces of the world.

A LUXURY TEAM

Who are these celebrities, where do they live and what made them choose Portugal as their home? Meet the celebrities, grouped by category, by clicking on the buttons below:

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Sharon Stone, the American actress, is building a house in Melides in 2023, on land that cost 10 million euros.The Melides area gained fame thanks to the investment of the Discovery Land Company real estate fund, with Hollywood star George Clooney as one of the shareholders. Close to Melides, this resort has 360 villas under the motto "the new luxury of tourism is exclusivity". Sharon Stone, an actress and producer now aged 65, became world famous as a film actress ("Basic Instinct", "Casino", "The Quick and the Dead", etc.) and as an activist in various social and humanitarian causes.
Nicole Kidman, the Australian actress and producer, and her husband, musician Keith Urban, bought an apartment in Lisbon in 2023, in Parque das Nações. The couple is known for their real estate investments in different parts of the world: the United States, Australia and, now, Portugal. The couple's last major investment was in 2017, when they acquired a luxurious mansion in Manhattan, New York, for €44 million. Nicole Kidman, famous for her previous marriage to Tom Cruise and for her film career - she won an Oscar for Best Actress in 2003 - is one of the most admired women for her beauty at the age of 55.
Scarlett Johansson, the 33-year-old American singer and actress, bought an apartment in Príncipe Real. Lisbon thus becomes the most recent city in the choices of the famous actress (Lost in Translation and Vicky Cristina Barcelona) to add to the cities of Los Angeles and New York. Príncipe Real is a neighborhood famous for the charm of its buildings and its garden. It is one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in Lisbon and has grown in points of interest in recent years, namely the bars, restaurants and shops that attract an increasingly young and "trendy" clientele. Its proximity to Bairro Alto is also one of its main attractions.
Monica Bellucci, the stunning Italian film actress, fell in love with the Alfama neighborhood in Lisbon and bought an apartment to renovate in the Castelo neighborhood, overlooking the Tagus. She became famous for her participation in films such as the Matrix trilogy, " The Passion of the Christ ", " Ricordati di me ", for which she received an Oscar for best actress, among others. Currently 58 years old, she has accumulated a large number of awards throughout her long career as an actress, in film and on TV. But her performance as a model also did not go unnoticed, at the service of the Elite Models agency, for great stylists such as Dolce & Gabbana.
John Malkovich was one of the first celebrities to choose Portugal to live and invest over 15 years ago. The actor fell in love with Portugal while filming the film "O Convento" in 1995. He loved Lisbon at first sight and liked everything, the people, the gastronomy, Fado, the landscape, the architecture, the hills and the Tagus river. He bought a property in Lisbon, opened the Bica do Sapato restaurant, bought Lux Frágil, thus drawing the world's attention to our country.
Isabelle Adjani, the actress, known for her participation in the film "L'histoire d'Adèle H.", spends long periods in her apartment in Carcavelos, at Quinta de São Gonçalo. The decision to leave Paris for Lisbon has to do with the desire to live in a place where she is less recognized. For the French actress, now 66 years old, Portugal provides her with the comfort of anonymity that her current phase of life, more calm and holistic, requires.
Michael Fassbender the German film actor and director of films such as "X-Men: First Class" "Prometheus" or "Steve Jobs" and his wife Alicia Vikander, the Swedish actress and dancer, famous for playing the role of Lara Croft in the film "Tomb Raider", chose Lisbon to live. They acquired a T5 apartment in Alfama, a luxury duplex, and it is estimated that it cost around 2 million euros. With 400 m², luxury finishes, a garden and a privileged view of the Tagus River, it is an integral part of the Palace of Santa Helena, dating from the end of the 16th century.
Cristiano Ronaldo, despite being Portuguese, is also included in these accounts, as he has contributed to promoting Portugal abroad as a favorite destination to live. He has a mansion on the island of Madeira, where he is from, but he has been buying houses in other cities around the world, many of them linked to his career in football: Manchester (England), Marbella (Spain) and Turin (Italy), New York ( USA), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), etc. But despite all this heritage, it was Lisbon that he chose to live in, as he approaches the end of his career.In addition to having bought the most expensive apartment in the capital, on Rua Castilho (7.6 million euros), he is in the process of moving to a luxury mansion in Quinta da Marinha, in Cascais, with 9,000 m². This house, which is in the final stages of construction, has so far cost 20 million euros !
Garrett McNamara, the famous champion and one of surfing's greatest ambassadors, has his home in the Sintra region, and his time is split between Hawaii and Portugal. He became known worldwide for the double record he obtained when surfing the biggest wave ever (30m) at Praia do Norte, in Nazaré. His passion for Portugal grew, and it was here that he got married in 2012 and recently chose the name Nazaré for his newborn daughter.
Eric Cantona, the former Manchester United footballer and current actor, fell in love with the Portuguese capital, which he calls the "Rio de Janeiro of Europe". He currently lives with his family in a rented apartment, valued at three million euros, on Rua de São Mamede, in Príncipe Real. In 2017, 3 years after moving to Lisbon, he challenged coach Alex Ferguson and together they bought 7 luxury apartments (T1, T2 and T3) at Torel Palace Residences, valued at 3.9 million euros.
Wayne Rooney, the British football player, bought a luxury villa in the Algarve for more than 5 million euros and offered it to his wife. The press says that the offer was aimed at calming the wife during a troubled phase of her marriage. However, the English couple's preference for the Algarve, a common holiday destination for many British people, is well known.
Gisele Bündchen, the famous model, and her husband Tom Brady, bought a house on the Alentejo coast. The famous model and her partner, an American football player, in addition to being spotted enjoying a short holiday in Comporta, reportedly bought a property near Melides, very close to the home of actor George Clooney and Cindy Crawford. Gisele Caroline Bündchen is a Brazilian supermodel, philanthropist, environmental activist and businesswoman and one of the highest paid models in the world. In 2007, she became the 16th richest woman in the entertainment industry.
Christian Louboutin, the well-known French designer of the famous "red-soled shoes", also chose Alfama to buy a luxury apartment and Comporta beach to buy a small farm. The famous shoe designer usually designs his collection at his simple but charming Alentejo home in Melides, a beach village.
Nick Youngquest, the Australian model, and Luma Grothe, the Brazilian model, are the couple who are the faces of two of Paco Rabanne's perfumes and have exchanged Paris for the tranquility of Ericeira, the 1st Surf Reserve in Europe and the 2nd in the World. Nick is often seen at Praia dos Pescadores, attracted by the quality of the waves on the west coast of Lisbon, located just 35 km away.
Madonna, one of the most famous singers who surrendered to Portuguese culture, moved to Lisbon with her family, where she rented an apartment and later moved to a palace on Rua das Janelas Verdes. Attempts to obtain a residence visa and formalize the acquisition of a house are public, with emphasis on several palatial properties. She ended up ending her adventure in Portuguese lands, having left Portugal because she felt "alone and without friends".
Bonnie Tyler, the singer famous for the hit "Total Eclipse of The Heart", has a house in Albufeira, in the Algarve, where she spends holidays with her family. Today, aged 70, the singer is still active, says that among the various properties around the world, Portugal is her favorite refuge. It was in the Algarve, a passion that has lasted since 1977, that he spent the pandemic period and where he lived moments of tranquility and discovery of simple things, such as learning to swim or the pleasures of domestic life.
José María Cano is a Spanish artist, musician, composer and music producer. He was formerly famous for his participation as a singer and songwriter in the popular pop band "Mecano", having sold around 25 million records worldwide. Today, he dedicates himself to the visual arts, as a painter and sculptor. In 2018, he bought the Palácio Teles de Menezes, located in Graça, Lisbon, for 3.5 million euros, a 17th-century property with 2,000 m² of gardens, a frequent stage for his media parties where he receives many Spanish celebrities.
Albina du Boisrouvray, the countess and cousin of the princes of Monaco, recently built a mansion in Muda, Comporta. It has been one of Portugal's main promoters, inviting famous personalities such as Princes Alberto and Charlene of Monaco, Charlotte and Andrea Casiraghi, Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni to visit the country.
Philippe Starck, the most famous architect and designer in the world, moved to Portugal 6 years ago, where he rented a house in Cascais belonging to the Countess of Monte Real and is not shy about calling the Portuguese “the kindest people in the world”. ”. He also has a second home in Alentejo, in Grândola.
Anselm Kiefer, the painter and sculptor with German and Austrian citizenship, has a home in Comporta. His works are inspired by the dark past of his culture, namely the horrors of Nazism, but also characters and places of historical importance or legendary figures, encoded according to the Neo-Expressionist aesthetic.
Jacques Grange, the renowned French luxury designer, with clients such as Yves Saint Laurent or Sofia Coppola, also lives in Comporta. Often compared to St. Tropez in the 70s, due to its low level of development and respect for environmental values, Comporta is a destination that continues to attract locals and foreign tourists. The 12 kilometers of beach and dunes, and the short distance to Lisbon or Faro, enchanted the Frenchman, who lives in a simple but charming house with Alentejo moths.

This extensive list is not unprecedented, as celebrities such as Gloria Swanson, Bryan Adams or Tom Ford lived in Portuguese lands in the last century. The privacy and absence of paparazzi are a draw for those who are fed up with the spotlight and social pressure.

In addition to those who choose to have a home in Portugal, many more visit us frequently or are invited to private parties, which take place in the secret of the gods.Names such as the former footballer David Beckham, the fashion icon Valentino Garavani, the actors Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, the actor George Clooney and the model Cindy Crawford, both in love with Comporta, the model and stylist Inès de la Fressange, Charlotte Casiraghi, daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco, American socialite Olivia Palermo, Lisa Ekdahl, Swedish singer and songwriter, Marisa Berenson, American actress and model, Russian model Natália Vodianova, Russian former tennis player Maria Sharapova, Brazilian millionaires Fátima Scarpa and Bethy Lagardère, famous decorator Kelly Wearstler, Italian actress and socialite Bianca Brandolini, Naty Abascal, President of Christian Dior, Sidney Toledano, Chairman and CEO of LVMH Fashion.

Who are the famous Brazilians living in Portugal?

The presence of Brazilian celebrities in Portugal is notable, especially considering that the Brazilian community in the country already exceeds 250,000 individuals. The list of celebrities includes actors, actresses, visual artists, musicians, sportsmen, television and film personalities, journalists and successful businessmen who have chosen Portugal as their home.

Here are some of the names of the best known Brazilians, among many others, who have already bought a house in Portugal or have chosen to rent it, mainly in the Lisbon region:

Aguinaldo Silva - Author and writer of successful soap operas for Rede Globo (Roque Santeiro, Tieta, Império, etc.) moved to Lisbon and became Portuguese, where he owns 2 restaurants and a luxury shoe store.
Claudia Abreu
Fernanda Torres
Flavia Freire
Giovanna Antonelli
Giovanna Ewbank
Gloria Perez
Joana Balaguer
Leonardo Vieira
Luana Piovani - In 2018, she moved to Cascais with her children and Pedro Scooby (her husband at the time). The award-winning actress, model and TV and film presenter, now 46 years old, intends to live in Portugal "until she is old".
Mallu Magalhães and Marcelo Camelo
Marcello Antony
Marcia Goldschmidt
Max Fercondini
Miguel Thiré
Miriam Freeland
Paola Oliveira
Pedro Cardoso - Actor, lives in Portugal since 2014.
Peter Neschling
Peter Scooby
Roberto Bomtempo
Silvia Pfeifer
Tássia Camargo - Actress of soap operas (Pão Pão, Beijo Beijo, Tieta and Rabo de Saia), currently 61 years old, lives in Lisbon since 2017.
Thaiane Anjos
Thiago Rodrigues
Victory Frat
Zeze Motta

These celebrities are looking for a second chance at life in Portugal, fleeing the climate of political instability and socioeconomic insecurity in Brazil. Thanks to this growing community of famous Brazilians, Lisbon has already been dubbed "the new home of the famous".

What are the places in Portugal where these celebrities live?

The most popular areas with foreigners moving to Portugal include Lisbon, Cascais, Tróia and Comporta, Ericeira, Nazaré, Porto and the Algarve. Among these destinations, Lisbon and Comporta top the list of the most popular places.

Many choose to rent a house in the initial phase, until the family adapts, and among these, some end up buying a house in Portugal. The preferred type of house is an independent house or an apartment, but preferably in a luxury condominium. There are also those who choose to build a house from scratch.

Prices vary greatly, from country houses in Comporta to luxury houses in charming condominiums in Lisbon. For example, the singer Madonna, when she decided to buy a house in Portugal, was willing to spend an amount close to 8 million euros.

At the service of Portugal

Brazilian celebrities living in Portugal have promoted the country in various ways, such as giving interviews, writing articles, filming and promoting Portugal on social media and at social events. They constantly praise Portugal and the Portuguese on social media, which attracts even more attention to the country.

With millions of followers around the world, these celebrities promote places like Lisbon, Porto, Cascais, Comporta, Ericeira, Nazaré and Algarve, sharing images and moments that delight their audience.

What about Portugal? And why Portugal?

The reasons that attract celebrities from all over the world to move to Portugal are the same reasons that attract millions of tourists, with emphasis on Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve:

Security, privacy, sun and a mild climate, the hospitality of the Portuguese, good international schools, people who speak several languages, a good education and health system, history and heritage, low cost of living, good cuisine, beaches, golf, among others others.

This trend does not seem to lose strength, since word of mouth and friendships in these social media help to promote the country even more. An example is the growing number of Michelin stars that Portugal has won.

In addition, Portugal has Residence Permit for Investment (ARI) programs with various tax advantages, attracting wealthier celebrities. Property prices in Portugal are low compared to other European countries, which is a big draw. However, this asset has already had greater weight, as in recent years there has been a significant appreciation in property prices, mainly in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve

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